📣 Walker on swallowing UCL loss, Pep relationship, nerves and more | OneFootball

Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker has opened up on all things Champions League ahead of the 2023 final against Inter Milan.

Here is what he had to say in a recent interview with The Telegraph.

On losing 2020 UCL final

“I didn’t really have much time to get over it as I had to tune back into England and go and compete in a tournament for my country.

“It was hard seeing all the Chelsea boys there. You say congratulations to them because they are your team-mates now but it was tough.

“[Then losing to Italy in Euro 2020] That’s football. It’s part of your career that everything is not going to go swimmingly well. I wasn’t playing at the start of this season but things change in football.

“We’ve been there. When you walk out, hear the anthem playing and see the cup – [it’s like] you are not really expecting it before, you think ‘Oh my gosh, it’s actually happening now.’

“Whereas now, you can walk out and you know you’ve been here before, you’ve experienced these things before, and it is just about playing your football and trusting the people around you.

“Erling [Haaland] is popping up with the goals. Kevin [De Bruyne] is popping up with the assists. So I think we will be all right.”

On nerves

“I’m 33 now so I wouldn’t say I get nervous but I hate 8 o’clock games because it is the wait of all day to go to the game. I’d rather it kicked off at three o’clock and then it is done then.

“Obviously there are a little bit of nerves but I think that’s good – you just have to channel them in the right direction to make you perform well. But it is more excitement than nerves.

“You need to get your nutrition in and move around the hotel … but it is about preparing so you are mentally fresh for the game. What else can you do? You can’t bring the game forward.

“I just have to deal with it and have a little nap in the afternoon. But then I don’t sleep after the game! It’s Sod’s Law isn’t it?”

On relationship with Pep

“He’s my manager and I have to listen to him – if his opinion is right or wrong, it’s not my decision. He’s the boss of this club and makes the decision about who goes on to the field and I have to accept that – right or wrong – and get my head down.

“Do my extra work in the gym and make sure I am putting in performances on the training field so when I am called upon, he’s not saying: ‘That’s why I’m dropping you, because you are not playing well’.

“When I got the chance again, I tried to do what I do – play good football and defend well and hopefully that will give him the confidence to carry on picking me in the big games.

“Do I think I can overcome certain things when the going gets tough? Can I dig my heels in the ground and then keep moving? I think I can do that. That was my upbringing. It has channelled me into the path where I am now.”

On treble hopes

“It helps massively to say that we can be put in that category of probably one of the best Premier League teams of all time.

“You don’t win five Premier Leagues in six years if you are not a good team. We kind of know we are a good team but to be recognised globally as one of the best you need to win the Champions League. We are not beating around the bush with that.

“We know this is now a great opportunity and we have a second chance definitely. We need to put right the wrongs we did against Chelsea.

“I think that United team, along with the Arsenal Invincibles [in 2003/04], are probably up there with the best Premier League teams of all time.

“What us and Liverpool – to a certain extent – have done … I think we should be in consideration but they have got the big Champions League trophy that we can never say we have got. So, for us to be in contention of talking around that, we need to go and pick this up.”